Flying Right

It is comforting that our government, as well as some banner-towing operators, retain a proper sense of values. Take, for example, what Michigan entrepreneur Gary West said in explaining Federal Aviation rules requiring pilots to get special permission to fly banners over big events like the bowl games: "At the Rose Bowl, there are a lot of dignitaries. If you're over the stadium and the engine quits, you've got to be able to make an emergency landing."

One can readily understand how that would be different from an engine quitting, say, over a football stadium in Podunk, devoid of dignitaries, peopled only by people.